Fun Speartooth Shark Facts For Kids
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The speartooth shark, identified by its scientific name Glyphis glyphis, is a particularly rare species of river sharks. It is primarily found in tropical waters of Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.
Being a member of the shark family, it shares a lot of its visual features with other sharks. It features a grey colored body, with a relatively short and broad snout. Interestingly, its name stems from the shape of its teeth.
The speartooth shark has triangular and serrated teeth in its upper jaw and spear like teeth in its lower jaw. We have gathered numerous informative and interesting facts about the speartooth shark for your reading pleasure.
For more relatable content, check out these Port Jackson shark facts and sandbar shark facts for kids.
Speartooth Shark Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a speartooth shark?
The speartooth shark glyphis glyphis is a kind of river shark and hails from the Carcharhinidae family. Also known as Bizant river shark and requiem shark, speartooth sharks are not as active when compared to other requiem sharks. Instead, they tend to conserve their energy by riding tidal currents to travel across the sea using their dorsal fins.
What class of animal does a speartooth shark belong to?
Speartooth sharks (Glyphis) are fish and are a type of river shark. Native to the tropical rivers of Papua New Guinea and the northern territory of Australia, this rare shark species feed on crustaceans and bony fishes and are carnivorous.
Research has made it evident that the Bizant river sharks, another name for speartooth sharks, are objects of fear in the territory they reside in. That fact makes us believe that speartooth sharks are near the top of their food chain.
How many speartooth sharks are there in the world?
Currently, studies have shown that there are approximately 2500 speartooth sharks present in the world. Even this small population is on the decline with the rampant commercial fishing and habitat degradation.
There are several cases every year which mentions how the endangered species is being hunted, despite their already small numbers. If precautions are not undertaken, even the remaining 2500 or so speartooth sharks will perish.
Where does a speartooth shark live?
Speartooth sharks are residents of tropical rivers of northern Australia and New Guinea. A few of their other names, Bizant river sharks, requiem sharks and Queensland river sharks, stems from the location it is from.
What is a speartooth shark's habitat?
Speartooth Shark Glyphis are native residents of tropical rivers and estuaries. They prefer fast flowing water bodies to be their homes since they tend to use the tidal currents to navigate through the ocean.
Similar to other river sharks, speartooth sharks reside in cloudy waters with low visibility and have accordingly evolved senses to survive. Since it is particularly difficult to differentiate between night and day in cloudy waters, speartooth sharks can be active during both parts of the day.
Who do speartooth sharks live with?
Considering the fact that speartooth sharks are a rare and endangered shark species, there is a lack of information on its living habits. However, marine experts believe that they move around as individuals just like other sharks.
How long does a speartooth shark live?
Speartooth sharks are a relatively rare shark species and so, not much is currently known about them. Though, marine experts do believe that their lifespan should be roughly the same as is for a normal shark.
How do they reproduce?
While the small details have yet to be known, speartooth sharks are known to be viviparous. As the term suggests, female speartooth sharks give birth to live and fully developed shark babies.
After fertilization has taken place, the embryo will develop in the parent speartooth shark. It will receive nutrients for its growth from its egg yolk. When it has exhausted the yolk, the parent speartooth shark will create a placental connection with the embryo and provide it with nutrition until it is ready to be born.
Young speartooth sharks tend to be found close to the upstream, as opposed to older speartooth sharks. That is because they are capable of surviving in more saline waters when they are younger.
What is their conservation status?
Speartooth sharks are deemed an endangered species by environmental societies. As is proved by research, their population has been decreasing as they lose their homes to habitat degradation.
Another cause of the decline in speartooth sharks' population stems from commercial fishing and gillnetting. While measures have been taken to stop or slow down the decline, commercial fishing and gillnetting still continue to ebb away at the population of this rare shark species.
Speartooth Shark Fun Facts
What do speartooth sharks look like?
The speartooth shark is gray in color. Built like a tank, it features razor sharp triangular and serrated teeth. As evident from its name, the speartooth shark has spear like teeth on its lower jaw.
These spear like teeth allow it to impale its victims while its upper jaw, with its large triangular teeth which are perfect for tearing through skin. Their eyes are small and focused, with three eyelids for extra protection.
The speartooth shark has a short and broad head, with a relatively large dorsal fin. In addition, the speartooth shark has dark coloring near the base of each of its pectoral fins. Adult speartooth sharks have an average length of 8.5 ft (2.6 m).
How cute are they?
When it comes to sharks, 'cute' certainly wouldn't be anybody's first thought. Sharks have been perfected though evolution to be superior hunters. The speartooth shark is no different.
Their streamlined body, sharp serrated teeth, and exceptional hunting skills will terrify all. However, these sharks are known to be quite friendly to humans. So, it is possible for them to be seen as cute in certain circumstances.
How do they communicate?
During daytime, speartooth sharks travel in packs known as 'schools'. These sharks communicate throughout their schools by arching their bodies and generating vibrations. Speartooth sharks have a specialised organ, called the 'lateral line', to detect vibrations in the water and to communicate with other sharks.
How big is a speartooth shark?
Adult speartooth sharks have an average length of 8.5 ft (2.6 m). It is approximately half the size of an average male great white shark.
How fast can a speartooth shark swim?
The streamlined body allows the Speartooth Shark to reach a sufficient top speed to hunt its primary prey of bony fishes. However, studies have shown that the speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis) is very lethargic, using the flow of the water to navigate rather than expending its own energy.
How much does a speartooth shark weigh?
Though there has been limited information available on the weight of a speartooth shark, its weight is estimated to be around 867 lb (393 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
There isn't any relevant information available to determine whether males and females of the species speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis) have separate names.
What would you call a baby speartooth shark?
A baby speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis) would be called a pup.
What do they eat?
Speartooth sharks primarily feed on bony fishes and crustaceans like prawns, though there has been evidence that suggest that they also hunt stingrays.
Are they dangerous?
The speartooth shark doesn't pose a threat to humans.
Would they make a good pet?
It would be impossible to keep speartooth sharks as pets. Speartooth sharks need large water bodies to survive and won't be able to thrive in a speartooth shark aquarium.
Did you know...
The speartooth shark is practically blind. Instead, the speartooth shark uses electroreception to hunt.
Why are speartooth sharks endangered?
The speartooth shark is endangered as it has a small population and is threatened by commercial fishing.
What is special about river sharks?
River sharks can survive in both freshwater and saline water bodies.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these nurse shark facts and basking shark facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one on our free printable baby shark coloring pages.
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